An excursion into certain areas of art, computers, philosophy, text, zombies, alchemy, metallurgy, music, food, creativity, pataphysics, politics, France where I worked as a cultural civil servant (yes, I do know that this is appalling), Berlin where I live and work for me, England where I come from, and so on... this may change.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Pyongyang, November 24 (KCNA) -- The General Association of Koreans in China Wednesday issued a statement titled "Let's decisively eliminate Ri Hoe Chang, a heinous sycophantic traitor and anti-reunification element, in the name of nation." The statement accused Ri, a political imposter in south Korea, of going mad with his ambition to become "president" these days, noting that he is a wicked sycophantic traitor, an anti-reunification element and a kingpin of irregularities and corruption. The traitor at a press conference slandered pro-reform forces, ballyhooing about "a decade wasted," and not content with this, he not only blustered that "he would radically reshape the policy toward the north" but also openly revealed his sinister attempt to bar the inter-Korean relations from improving, the statement said, and continued: This guy, who is no more than human scum, was forsaken by the times and the public and eliminated from the political arena for his despicable sycophantic and traitorous and anti-reunification acts and irregularities and corruption. His bid to take "presidential office" is, therefore, an intolerable insult to the south Korean people and an unpardonable mockery of justice and conscience. The south Korean people from all walks of life desirous of the June 15 era should properly see through the danger of the present situation and mete out a stern judgement to such dregs of history as Ri Hoe Chang and decisively eliminate him so that he may not raise his head again. The statement accused Ri Hoe Chang, a politician whose days are numbered, of declaring his candidacy for the "presidential elections" recently though he was forsaken by the times and the nation for being dregs of history and working with bloodshot eyes to win people's favor.

Friday, November 02, 2007

The Hang drum, from the Bernese Swiss dialect for "hand" - yes, the Swiss always sound as if they have a cold - is a wonderful instrument. Last night I was lucky enough to meet two skilled players. Looking today on the web, I found (a) that it is almost literally impossible to buy one and (b) this page on eBay where one can buy a CD of Hang music (only until November 12).Now, on this page you can also listen to excerpts from the tracks.All at once. Turn your sound up; get them ALL going.This is 'Patamusic at its best.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Since 'Pataphysics concerns itself with, as well as exceptions, the constrained, the weird and the excellent, I am happy to bring you, in case you don't know it, the most astonishing "Weird Al" Yankovic who apart from his stunning Dylan imitation has taken the palindromic to new levels. Please admire this.

Friday, September 21, 2007

Pyongyang, September 20 (KCNA) -- The performance of Art circle members of the Hungnam Fertilizer Complex (1) was given before capacity audience at the People's Palace of Culture in Pyongyang, which began on September 15. It fully reflected the invariable faith of the Korean working class to thoroughly adhere to the socialist principle, revolutionary principle, in any adversity and their revolutionary optimism. In satiric dialogue "The voice of Hungnam," choral recitation "Let us add luster to the revolutionary heritage of the fatherly leader under the leadership of the great General," wind instrument music and song "May, Month of Victory" and other numbers, the performers gave impressive presentation of the immortal feats the peerlessly great persons performed at the complex. Drum and song "General on a Galloping White Horse" which involved over 80 people and instrumental music and song "Ballad of Mt. Singo" and other numbers touched the heart strings of the audience for their unique form of works that could be created only in working site seething with worthwhile labor and life. Duet "Following the General" and "We are a worker-couple" sung by a discharged soldier-couple mirrored the faith and will of the workers that they are sure to win when they firmly believe in and follow leader Kim Jong Il in whatever ordeals. Vice-minister of Chemical Industry Pak Chol, when interviewed, said that the repertoire is full of the heroic stamina and enthusiasm of the working class and helps feel the worth and pride of labor. I came to more keenly feel again that the true life can be seen among workers and only the art pieces created at working sites can be popular among the people, he added.

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(1) "The Chemical Directorate Training Department organizes combat training of chemical warfare units and subunits as well as specialist training. It coordinates with other entities of the directorate on a number of questions and directly oversees the chemical warfare school, officer schools and training regiments, particularly the Hungnam Chemical Engineering College, which trains officer cadres for chemical warfare troops and at the same time performs functions of an NBC center.North Korea has at least eight industrial facilities that can produce chemical agents; however, the production rate and types of munitions are uncertain. Presumably one or more of the agents [sarin, tabun, phosgene, adamsite, prussic acid and a family of mustard gases] comprising the basis of North Korean chemical weapons are produced at the Hungnam Fertilizer Complex, probably asphyxiating and tear agents." (wikimapia)

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Today we are privileged to be able to see a hitherto censored image (actually from 1996) of the Dear World-Popular Slim and Most Excellent Athlete Kim Jong-Il, son of the Immortal Darling Immense Father (deceased) Kim Jong-Il, whose Collected Woks (sic) are the talk of many an intellectual gathering, participating in his own Exemplary Fashion and giving Dear On-the-Spot-Guidance to North Korean athletes.

In fact, research (Yue, G.H., Bilodeau, M., Hardy, P.A. and Enoka, R.M. (1997), Task-dependent effects of limb immobilisation on the fatigability of the elbow flexor muscles in humans, Experimental Physiology, 82: 567-92 in Smith, A. (2002), The Brain’s Behind It: New knowledge about the brain and learning, Network Educational Press.)has shown that by simply imagining one is taking exercise over a number of weeks, one's muscles do grow stronger…

Saturday, September 08, 2007

Also, whilst taking a random Zombograph of wild mushrooms, tasteful flowers usw., I noticed a large pile of dust forming itself in to the approximate shape of a dog.The inanimate objects of the world are clearly trying to tell us something: a warning? No, it's not that.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

In a miraculous coming-together of some of the main themes of this blog, we present the scandalous North Korean Central News Agency photo, released by "accident", showing the Irrevocably Magnificent Wondrous Leader and Great Gastronome Kim Jong Il, son of the Immortal Leader (deceased) Kim Il Sung, inspecting a Yorkshire Pudding which, when removed from the Peoples' Army Oven, revealed the hideous likeness of "President" and war criminal Bush.

Friday, August 24, 2007

Regular readers will know that I have previously celebrated examples of the stupidly gullible (usually "religious") believing that they have found or observed sacred imagery in potatoes, aubergines, American subways (the underpass and the sandwich) and so on. Doubtless there are many who would willingly put up with long queues of the frenzied and the rich outside their doors, pushing and fighting to see some holy phenomenon and perhaps to buy some small but not insignificantly priced memento.

Now, you too can participate in this gastronomic iconography, using these easily made ZOMBIE BISCUITS - a startlingly realistic image virtually GUARANTEED in every biscuit. Your friends will be amazed, the press stunned.

They also taste very good, though clearly to eat one would be tantamount to heresy under some religious regimes.

Preheat an oven to 200° C, (500 °F - Ha! Let the Americans burn them!) then make a dough that would usually end up as oatmeal biscuits:

Mix all the dry ingredients and the butter together in a large bowl with the fingertips until they become crumb-like, then add the milk and mix and knead to form a dough, about 2 on a scale of 0 to 9 where 0 = totally dry and 9 = sloppy and wet; the mixture should seem a bit too dry, if you tried to roll it out now it would crack. Leave the dough covered in the bowl for 10 minutes.

Now toss 50 g fresh blueberries into the bowl and mash them into the dough. The juice that emerges will make the dough moister. Don't let the fruit totally disintegrate though.

Put the dough in a lump on a floured surface & roll it out to about 0.5 cm thickness with a floured rolling pin or bottle. Using a small glass, cut out circles of approximately 5 cm diameter and place them on a baking sheet, either special baking paper or non-stick metal: they can stick badly if not. Prick the biscuits several times each with a fork, and place in the preheated oven. Ignore, for the moment, all the dark forms in the biscuits. Just do it automatically, don't think. You want to be surprised by the emergent properties.

After 10 to 12 minutes the biscuits should be just changing colour at the edges, no more. Remove from the oven and put somewhere to cool for a few minutes.

Now you can observe the multitude of Zombies, saints, prophets, gods, sexual symbols, miniature horses and cosmic patterns that you have created. Savour each form, photograph the best, send it to the local press— the national press will take up the story later. Declare that the fruit fell in by accident, though as if it were meant to, and that you didn't notice the picture until much later.

In case there are biscuits containing (but this is unlikely) no significant religious or other imagery, the biscuits should be eaten with either Blue Stilton or Red Leicester cheese, available from any decent cheese shop. Roquefort or Cheddar make rather poor, but just about acceptable, substitutes.

To those who might aggressively argue that I am cheapening or demeaning food-based religious experiences, just shut the fuck up.

Thursday, July 05, 2007

Pyongyang, July 4 (KCNA) -- The Ryonmot (lotus pond) Restaurant at the foot of Mt. Jang has been recently reconstructed. Now it is crowded every day. Its predecessor was the Janggyong Restaurant. The restaurant, once a small one, has changed its looks completely to be a public catering center. It tells about the warm love shown by Kim Jong Il for the people. Over 40 years ago, he took part in the project for expanding the road between Wasan-dong and Ryongsong along with students of Kim Il Sung University. The project was launched according to the plan of President Kim Il Sung for the capital construction. One day in May, he called at the Janggyong Restaurant which was common in the city at that time. He said with apprehensions that the door-sill of the restaurant was too high. The manager was deeply moved by his kind words. In fact, the employees of the restaurant and many customers went in and out through the door since its opening but they did not feel that."

Monday, May 21, 2007

On the RER train from Châtelet to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, I thought: there's no intrinsic value, no special beauty, colour and so on, not even in these poppies and wild roses. It's just a human construction. The rail-side rubbish, any blade of grass, is just as real, no more nor less a part of the universe blah blah blah. And of course while this should make one happy, uplifted, in awe of the oneness of all things, it actually is… depressing.

But the reflective Zombie part of me wants there to be the possibility of a slip sideways into, you know, something a bit more vivid.

Here's where 'Pataphysics comes in. The science of imaginary solutions. You know, don't you, about imaginary numbers. For any number, along the line of real numbers, you can construct a "complex number" by combining the number with a multiple of i, the square root of minus one. This new number then lies on a complex plane whose horizontal axis is the real numbers …-2, -1, 0, 1, 2… and whose vertical axis the imaginary numbers.

Although it all sounds a bit silly, it has been of immense practical use for many, many years.

The point now is that 'Pataphysics is a lot like i. If the mundane lies along a (railway) line then 'Pataphysically to put into question, to vivify, all that we see we merely have to consider this new (not spatial) "dimension" of the world as, at least temporarily, real. Then a rose is not a rose is not a rose, and this arose from a consideration of the fact that we are not just finding a new way of looking at things, which would be all too facile and fleeting, but rather rendering the rose (and poppy, and everything) more complex… at which point, it can be seen to be more simple, essentially in (and this is the new bit, not facile, not provisional) a new way.

Or mathematically:

√−5, in words the square root of minus five, which would be banal even if not "impossible", is to be avoided and i√5 used instead. The one is "trying not to be bored or world-weary". The other is both "complex" and simpler, hence more beautiful; and in passing, we can use it, practically.

Now the "poppies and wild roses" sound like a song, their beauty seen from the train not a metaphor but… a 'pataphor, this latter not my invention. I don't know how all this seems to you, but to me it was, just when I needed it, therapeutic. The recognition (via 'Pataphysics, and its manifestation in the Paris-based College of 'Pataphysics) that there are processes, ways of making sense (even if via what some might call "nonsense") of the world, that are transformatory, is a revolution. That is to say, one turns around once, sees the whole, arrives back where one was before but nothing will ever be the same again. Do it once, and be happy; twice, and…

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

On melancholic days like these, one's immune system crashed because of age and Sarkosconi's election and the presence of nasty fools in the world, one's thoughts turn, as so often, to the old Meccano factory on the RER B line from Roissy Airport to Paris. 'Pataphysics, and Zombie, you see, make anything attractive, or equally boring, or something. There is no colour, no beauty "really". One struggles, then, to see beauty - glory? - in this very fact. The Sensitive Zombie, one of life's grosser oxymorons.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

'Pataphysics, as you know, is the science of the exception; hence of the unexpected.Well, in a way; because clearly one is looking for the unexpected. The brain habituates itself to the expected, it is the dangerous unexpected towards which much of its cognitive apparatus is geared. The brain, indeed, dreads the unexpected and has to be ready for it. Brains that did not "attendre l'inattendu" would rapidly fall prey to the motorised lawn-mower of evolution. One hears the clockstop ticking.

In fact it is possible to argue the reverse of the Monty Python case that "NO ONE expects the Spanish Inquisition!": as Kant famously said, "Ich erwarte keine spanische Inquisition" - but we now know that he was - rarely for him - being ironic and that of course that was precisely what he expected.

If one expects the unexpected, and is justified in so doing because the unexpected not infrequently happens, then surely it is the expected that causes one, so often, to be surprised, as are smokers by their lung cancers. Did Joan expect Maxwell's silver hammer? Well, we know that she was "…quizzical/studied pataphysical science in the home" so it is extremely probable.

Occam's razor tells us that the simplest solution is likely to be the more elegant, that one should "shave off" extraneous bits of theory in the interests of parsimony. For example, outside of mental aberration it is simpler, and more elegant, and more likely to be true, that it was not god who created the world complete with fossils not very long ago.

Quantum physics, of course, puts us in a bit of a quandary. Let us simply assert, with Derrida, that it is possible for an object (or, more generally, an event) to be both expected and unexpected; the waveform collapses down to - incredibly! - a paradox when examined. For if it be the one, then it is surely the other, and vice versa.

It is for the above reasons that the Paris-based Collège de 'Pataphysique has so very many subcommittees, and strives towards the pure (what would in lesser hands be bureaucratic) state of targeting every possible exception with its own subcommittee.

The problem here is of course encapsulated by Gödel's theorem, which (vulgarly) states that there will always be a surprise. This should not surprise us. I expect to be surprised, and am rarely disappointed.

Thursday, March 08, 2007

One can do no better, surely, as a man today than leave this space to the voices (literally) of women -- in this case those of North Korea, you knew it would be that -- and this edifying communiqué from the (north) Korean Central News Agency, entitled SONGS OF WOMEN:

Pyongyang, March 7 (KCNA) -- The people love to sing songs carrying the pride and self-confidence of the women on the general advance towards the high eminence of a great, prosperous and powerful socialist nation. The song "Love your wife" calling for respecting the women socially is popular among the people.There are many songs showing the spiritual world of girl-soldiers in the "Persimmon tree company "," Wild flower Company" and other military units. Among them are the songs "Song of coast artillery-women" and "I am a girl-soldier in Songun era".Reflected in the songs "I am a wife of sentry" and "I am an officer's wife" are the noble ideological sentiment and revolutionary optimism of servicemen's wives who are doing their best for their husbands defending the country devotedly.The songs "A girl riding a swift horse", "Girls in our factory" and "A girl silk-weaver in Nyongbyon" sing of the fruitful working life of the women who are distinguishing themselves in the economic construction along with men. And the songs "Women are flowers" and "Song of wife" reflect the women's pride of creating the happiness of the families as dear wives and good mothers. The songs touch the heart-strings of the people.Today the Korean women love to sing these songs created in the Songun era and are doing their bit in the efforts for building the great, prosperous and powerful socialist country.

Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA) -- The news that the "International Kim Il Sung Prize" Council awarded the "International Kim Il Sung Prize" to Kim Jong Il on the occasion of his birthday has stirred up the hearts of the progressive humankind.

Sunday, March 04, 2007

Being in a mending mood (the feminine side of Zombies is no less real nor undead than the male...) one wants to efface the tears, those very first ever, primordial ones painted by Giotto on the faces of the mothers in his Massacre of the Innocents. The start of art, they say.

And then, in the mood, and following the lead of the late Aline Gagnaire, of OuPeinPo, giving Lucio Fontana's wife a break and stitching up his slashed canvas ConcettoSpaziale, Attesa 1964.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

As one does, I was idly taking photographs of real flowers in a vase in front of a painting including flowers in a vase (and much else, obviously) - and then distorting the resulting photographic images in Photoshop and other software in order to perform various topological operations when suddenly I noticed that an old, short-sleeved, orange tartan shirt that I use for cleaning the oil paint from brushes... had assumed the unmistakable features of the "president" of the USA. Quite why the war-criminal Bush should thus manifest himself I don't know, but who am I to question what is clearly a most un-Zombie concretisation of pure Will.

Crowds of the faithful need not rush here, nor collectors of such epi-phenomena as the face of Nicole K (peace be upon her) quite clearly etched into a slice of aubergine, for I have burned the shirt, which ignited with a satisfying WOOOOMPH due to its being rather soaked in turpentine.

Pyongyang, February 14 (KCNA) -- An enlarged version of "Short Biography of Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il" edited by the History Institute of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was published by the Workers' Party of Korea Publishing House. It has 8 chapters comprehensively dealing with the brief history of Kim Jong Il in chronological order. The first chapter of the book deals with his revolutionary history in the period from Feb. Juche 31(1942) to Aug. Juche 49(1960). In that period he formed the "Group for the Study of the Short Biography of General Kim Il Sung" and started the study tour of the revolutionary battle sites in the area of Mt. Paektu. Its second chapter deals with his revolutionary activities in the period from Aug. Juche 49 (1960) to Mar. Juche 53(1964)). In that period Kim Jong Il visited Guard Seoul Ryu Kyong Su Tank Division 105 of the Korean People's Army, starting his Songun revolutionary leadership. He entered Kim Il Sung University where he developed in depth the immortal Juche idea, Songun idea. The third chapter of the book tells about how wisely he guided the party work and the drive to celebrate the sixtieth birthday of President Kim Il Sung as the greatest national holiday, etc. in the period from Apr. Juche 53(1964) to Feb. Juche 63(1974)). Its fourth chapter deals with his revolutionary activities in the period from Feb. Juche 63(1974) to Sept. Juche 69(1980). After being chosen as successor to Kim Il Sung and an outstanding leader of the WPK and people, he formulated the President's revolutionary idea as an integral whole of the idea, theory and method of Juche and declared it as the supreme programme of the WPK to model the whole society on the Juche idea. The fifth chapter of the book tells about his revolutionary activities in the period from Oct. Juche 69(1980) to Dec. Juche 78(1989). This part of the book explains how he led the work to greet the sixth Congress of the WPK as a grand festival of victors and how he made sure that the Koreans and the world revolutionary people grandly celebrated the 70th birthday of the President. It also tells that he authored many works and led the work to strengthen the KPA and the people's power and wage a dynamic movement to create "the speed in the 80s," thus bringing about a fresh surge in socialist economic construction. The sixth chapter of the book is devoted to his revolutionary activities in the period from Jan. Juche 79 (1990) to Jul. Juche 83 (1994). It tells that he held the important post of Supreme Commander of the KPA and was elected chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and wisely led the work to demonstrate the advantages and might of Korean-style socialism and revive the socialist movement. The seventh chapter of the book dealing with his revolutionary activities in the period from Jul. Juche 83 (1994) to Dec. Juche 87 (1998) tells that after the demise of the President he put up such slogans representing his faith as "The great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung will always be with us" and "Let us arm ourselves more firmly with the revolutionary ideas of the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung!" and led the work to build up the Kumsusan Memorial Palace as the supreme temple of Juche. It also says that he was elected general secretary of the WPK and chairman of the NDC of the DPRK. The eighth chapter of the book deals with his revolutionary activities in the period from Jan. Juche 88 (1999) to Oct. Juche 94 (2005). It tells that he, true to the noble intention of the President, unrolled the policy of effecting a turn in building a great prosperous powerful socialist nation, the policies of attaching importance to the ideology, the arms and science and technology and laid down other important guidelines for building a rich and powerful country. It also deals with the facts that he arranged the historic Pyongyang meeting which culminated in the adoption of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration, conducted energetic external activities, demonstrating the prestige and dignity of the DPRK worldwide and injecting fresh vigor into the efforts to accomplish the cause of global independence and wisely led the people to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the WPK and the 60th anniversary of the country's liberation as grand festivals of victors of the Songun revolution.

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- A brisk motivational campaign for inspiring the entire people to implementing the tasks set forth by the joint New Year editorial has been undertaken in the DPRK... Artistes of the South Hamgyong Provincial Art Propaganda Troupe went to various co-op farms, carrying with them a large amount of manure and farm implements, and encouraged peasants in their farming preparation with radio scripts and story-telling pieces...

Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- Complete Collection of Kim Il Sung's Woks Vol. 67 was brought out by the Workers' Party of Korea Publishing House. It is the library of the immortal Juche idea which carries his famous works systematically and comprehensively on a chronological order. Contained are 31 famous works such as historic speeches, concluding addresses and talks made by President Kim Il Sung from May to August, Juche 67 (1978). "On Our Country's Experience in the Solution of the Rural Question", "The International Friendship Exhibition Is Precious Historic Wealth to Be Handed Down to Posterity", "On Greeting the 30th Anniversary of the Republic with High Degree of Political Enthusiasm and Brilliant Achievements in Labor" and other works indicate policies for effecting a new great upswing in all fields and units of the national economy and improving the standard of people's living and ways for their implementation and questions of principle in strengthening education in revolutionary tradition and education in socialist patriotism among the members of the WPK and other working people. "The General Association of Korean Residents in Japan Should Conduct Well the External Work to Actively Contribute to the Cause of National Reunification" and other works elucidate strategic and tactical matters in accelerating the reunification of the country.

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Project: take a photo of an artwork under glass. Note any reflections.Proposition: These are as interesting as the artwork.Example: A Picasso lithograph, signed. Bookshelves reflected. Use image processing to isolate.

Monday, January 22, 2007

In between black and white, there is always red...

"Ok it's simple really... consciousness is an emergent property of life; life is an emergent property of matter; matter is an emergent property of existence; existence is an emergent property of distinction, and distinction 'was' totally fucking inevitable in the timeless no-thing."

Pyongyang, January 15 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il inspected the Command of KPA Combined Unit 593. He first went round the room dedicated to the education in the revolutionary history and the room devoted to the history of the unit. He said that under the wise leadership and meticulous care of President Kim Il Sung the unit grew to be a powerful force having a-match-for-a hundred combined units and units. He highly appreciated the feats of the unit, saying that it has performed proud exploits in defending the country and building socialism by displaying matchless patriotic devotion and popular heroism for the Party, the leader, the country and the people. He went round the operation study room to acquaint himself with the unit's performance of duty. He set forth the tasks facing the unit, expressing satisfaction over the fact that it has not only steadily boosted the operation commanding ability by arranging well the operation study room and focusing efforts on military exercises but has performed its guard duty in a responsible manner with a high degree of revolutionary vigilance in view of the U.S. imperialists' moves for aggression. After making the rounds of the serviceperson's hall, library and other entertainment and educational facilities, he praised the unit for having conducted the political work in a unique and profound manner with various kinds of means necessary for educating servicepersons in place and trained all of them as ideologically strong fighters equipped with a transparent revolutionary outlook. He underscored the need for the servicepersons to make book-reading part of their daily routine and a habit with strong enthusiasm so that they may become soldiers of wide knowledge. Then he went round supply service facilities of the unit and highly praised its commanding officers for having provided good living conditions to its servicepersons from a correct point of view on the supply service. After the inspection, he enjoyed a performance given by an art squad of the unit. He extended thanks to the performers, expressing satisfaction at the successful performance with high ideological and artistic value.The People's Army has become a model in art activities, too, he said, underlining the need to steadily conduct the drive for learning from the revolutionary soldier spirit so as to make the whole society seethe with a high degree of revolutionary enthusiasm.

Sunday, January 07, 2007

...to cut out and keep!Yes this miniature cocktail umbrella can be yours so long as you enjoy access to a printer, paper and scissors. Glue the thingies together, purchase a Chinese newspaper, cut out a small strip, roll it up tight around a toothpick and soak in glue - flour and water will do. This becomes the ferrule of the umbrella. It is usual to incorporate at least one piece of photo or solid red part in the paper strip, to add value. Pierce the... oh this is too boring, just do it ok?

Saturday, January 06, 2007

Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116 (pronounced /?al?bin/) was a name intended for a Swedish child who was born in 1991.

The boy's parents had planned never to legally name him at all, as a protest to the naming law of Sweden, which reads: "First names shall not be approved if they can cause offense or can be supposed to cause discomfort for the one using it, or names which for some obvious reason are not suitable as a first name."

Because the parents (Elizabeth Hallin and an unidentified father) failed to register a name by the boy's fifth birthday, a district court in Halmstad, southern Sweden, fined the parents 5,000 kronor. Responding to the fine, the parents submitted the 43 character name in May 1996, claiming that it was "a pregnant, expressionistic development that we see as an artistic creation." The parents suggested the name be understood in the spirit of 'pataphysics. The court rejected the name and upheld the fine.

The parents then tried to change the spelling of the name to A (also pronounced /?al?bin/) instead. Once again, the court did not approve of the parents' ideas for naming.